tornadoes with drones for monitoring hurricane trajectories, our efforts to comprehend weather patterns are ongoing. This pursuit is driven by a long-standing chronology of catastrophic weather occurrences that have devastated communities and resulted in numerous fatalities. March 18, 2025, commemorates the centennial of a notable tragedy: the Tri-State Tornado.
The Tri-State Tornado endured for three and a half hours, navigating at speeds reaching up to 73 mph across 13 counties in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. At times, its width extended to a mile, inflicting damage over 219 miles and classified as an F5 tornado — the maximum level on the original Fujita scale — with wind velocities ranging from 261 to 318 mph.
This tornado is recognized as the deadliest in U.S. history. It claimed the lives of 695 individuals and caused injuries to 2,027 others. It annihilated nearly every community in its path, leading to the destruction of 15,000 homes. The estimated property damage would equivalent to $3 billion today.
